On a dull and wet Fermanagh evening, more than 100 eager people attended the final meeting of the year of Fermanagh Gardening Society (FGS), held at the Killyhevlin Hotel.

The guest speaker was Averil Milligan, who came to address the subject of 'Spring’.

She had been with the National Trust for 25 years, including periods at Hillsborough, Mountstewart and Rowallane. Many listeners to Radio Ulster's 'Gardeners Corner' will have recognised her voice.

She frequently used examples of planting from her time as Head Gardener at Rowallane, and her own garden in the Downpatrick area, which is one and a half miles from the coast.

There she enjoys good loam soil, which makes life much easier. She would often notice the regular contrast in temperatures with Rowallane often being about three degrees lower.

Averil is a lover of herbaceous plants and many recommendations were proffered during her detailed presentation.

She has successfully found that experimenting with plants first in her own garden gives her the confidence to then continue with those that thrive.

Averil is someone who appreciates the style of Jimi Blake from County Wicklow, who has a very fluid style, enjoying plants that can stand on their own two feet and therefore require no staking.

She spoke fondly of her late mother who, although not blessed with a single horticultural bone in her body, took great delight at parading around Averil's garden with her hands behind her back, making professional-sounding comments.

On another occasion, Averil had to rescue the situation after a rampant Clematis Montana smothered the gate on her mother's driveway, making it impossible to get the car out.

However, after a severe pruning, it was feared Averil had done the Montana in, but it survived and lives to tell the tale!

Members and friends were able to note down a list of suggested plants with instructions as to how to care for them.

They learned about varieties of violas, ferns, violets, peony, hellebores, primulas, clematis, lupins, iris, tulips, lilies, alliums and many more – enough to inspire those assembled to make a trip to a garden centre or purchase online. (Gardeners are notorious for adding to their collection.)

Six years ago, Averil had a most enjoyable experience when she visited the Sekkim province of India as part of her research.

Amongst the grazing yaks, she was so pleased to see lovely primulas growing in the herbage.

Like many people during lockdown, Averil diversified her own horticultural interests and got a polytunnel, and her hubby made some raised beds within, with the promise of a third one being held over him.

There are a number of outside beds and chard, asparagus and herbs were given a turn there.

Seeds that were acquired over time were given their chance, and the results were mixed, as anyone else would discover.

Averil was convinced that every slug or snail in the district had her postcode in their GPS!

However, she found sheep's wool around her tender plants to be effective, albeit not very pretty.

She employed the no-dig method, which she found worked well and saved her labour.

Also, the sunflowers in the polytunnel grew too high and would have been better sited along the middle of it.

And then there was the dog who was fond of helping himself to the strawberries in the polytunnel – so, a learning curve all round.

Top tips for the night would have been to make your soil structure the very best it can be, and to buy the best-quality plants you can afford.

The crowd could have listened on and on in what was a most informative and entertaining evening,

After the meeting, members and visitors were able to purchase items from Averil's range of 'Wild about Soap', which she has developed through her extensive relevant horticultural experience.